Missing heiress
by Isla de Muerta
Summary: Watson meets a strange young girl at cemetery, then again in front of his and Sherlock's home. She doesn't seem to remember him. Ten years from that, he meets her again.
1. Chapter 1: The last rose of summer

**Missing heiress**

Story by: Isla de Muerta

Genre: Romance/general/tragedy/mystery

Rating: T just in case

Disclaimer: Sherlock and Watson aren't mine though I hope they'd be. Mine are only strangers you don't recognise

Summary: Watson meets a strange young girl at cemetery, then again in front of his and Sherlock's home. She doesn't seem to remember him. Ten years from that, he meets her again. Who is she, what does she want, why does she shock Watson and why is Sherlock acting the way he is, after meeting the young woman?

A/N Revamped from a fic called The girl. The _italic_ scenes are flashbacks. Please R&R, tell me if it's any good, any better now.

Chapter I: The last rose of summer

From Watson's POV

First time when I saw her was late in August when the last roses of summer were blooming brightly. I was returning from a sick call to our apartment 221b Baker Street and walked by one cemetery and there she was, hiding behind one old tombstone, smiling to me. I remember it very well because of her brilliant smile but also because of what happened after our short encounter.

"_Well hello. What are you doing in there?" I asked from the little girl who I had noticed hiding in the cemetery, just along the street I was walking. _

"_I'm hiding," she said. _

"_Of course you are, how stupid of me. Who are you hiding from?" the girl flashed a most brilliant smile to me. _

"_You," she said, giggled and in a flash, she was gone. I couldn't help but to smile and continued my way back to the apartment that I shared with Sherlock Holmes. From a short distance, I saw a girl standing in from of the house, where we lived, staring at our window. _

"_There you are, how did you manage to get here so fast?" I greeted the girl. She didn't answer to me and acted as if she wouldn't know me at all. Even the look of the remarkably coloured, icy-blue eyes was saying that she did not know me. And she didn't smile. _

"_What's the matter with you? We just met, don't be afraid," I said friendly and stretched my hand towards her to appease her but she screamed, ran away and left me wonder what had just happened. _

It was late August when I was returning home from a sick call. It was already late night. I walked past a cemetery and couldn't help but to smile when I remembered what had happened there, ten years ago. I almost waited for that sweet little girl to show up again from some bush but of course, she didn't. She probably was already so grown up that she didn't played anymore. Few minutes later, I came to Baker Street and as sure as the sun rises every day, I saw someone, in front of our apartment, staring at our window. The young woman was wearing a pale-yellow silk dress.

"Good night Miss," I greeted her, after noticing that she didn't wear a wedding band. Something in her momentarily caught my attention but I walked on to open our door, stepped in but couldn't forget that woman.

I found my dear friend Holmes playing his violin. I went straight to the window and looked out. I stood there for few minutes to see if she was still staring but after noticing she wasn't, I sighed and sat down to a chair to read a newspaper that I hadn't got time to read in the morning and forgot that woman.

Or so I thought but something in her that I couldn't define stayed subconsciously in my mind. For some reason I couldn't concentrate to the paper but just stared the page when Holmes suddenly woke me up from my trance.

"My dear Watson, you've been glaring that same page for ten minutes now. What in the name of heavens there is so interesting for you that you do so?" he asked from me. I noticed that he had stopped playing and was now sitting in his favourite chair, looking at me.

"Oh, nothing actually," I answered to him and shook my head.

My friend gave me a quick little smile and measured me from head to toes. Then he shortly mentioned, "Oh really Watson? Was she still there, on the street, when you came up?"

"By George Holmes, how on earth did you know why I went to the window?" Holmes surprised me once again, "No, she wasn't."

"She appeared there five minutes before you came. She was wearing a pale-yellow silk dress. Her hair is auburn and she is not from London. Her appearance is quite remarkable," Holmes explained, "She bothers you".

"Yes Holmes, she bothers me. It is as if I would have seen her somewhere before," I admitted.

"Maybe you have, Watson, maybe you have. Well, it is late dear friend so I won't keep you up much later or you won't be able to take care of your patients tomorrow. Good night," he bid me.

"Good night Holmes," I said and retired to my room. Little after 1 a.m. in the morning, I woke up to something. I heard heavy rain tapping to my window and from the background, Holmes playing his violin. I went to the window and looked out.

"How stupid," I said to myself," Did you really thought that you would see her there in this weather," and went back to bed, shaking my head.


	2. Chapter 2: Churchyard lullaby

Chapter II: Churchyard lullaby

Watson's POV

I had managed to get Holmes out from our apartment to have some fresh air and we were taking a walk on that day when I second time got a sight of her. I think it was four weeks after I saw her for the first time. We were just walking beside the churchyard and I felt clearly that someone was staring me, so I turned my head. And there she was, in the churchyard, standing under one great big tree and looking at our direction. She had green gown but it was somehow translucent and auburn hair. But what caught my attention, most of all, was her icy-blue eyes. I had to turn my look to another direction, so piercing they were. But before I did that, I saw that she smiled at me and gave a little nod to me. Or at least I thought she did. Chilly wind blew against us and in it, I thought I heard some kind of a melody. But I wasn't sure of that. Anyway, I must have looked at her again for some time because we were on our doorway when I next noticed the real world.

_I intentionally walked pass that graveyard the next day too. I wanted to see if I would meet that lovely little girl there again and ask why she didn't recognise me little later. And there she was again, now standing under one big tree. _

"_Hello. Do you remember me?" I asked. She was wearing a green dress. _

"_Of course I do," she said in a tone that said that I was being silly. _

"_You're not hiding now, are you?" it was more of a statement than question. _

"_I wouldn't be standing in plain sight if I would be hiding," she said. Again, I felt that I was silly. _

"_You didn't recognise me yesterday in front of 221b Baker Street," I stated. _

"_How could I have recognised you when I wasn't anywhere near there?" she said giggling. Then she flashed a smile at me and pranced away singing._

"_Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,_

_To God I pray to prosper thee,_

_For I am still thy lover true,_

_Come once again and love me."_

"Watson, you didn't pay any attention to what I said, now did you?" Holmes startled me by asking that.

"To tell you the truth, my dear Holmes, no I didn't,"

"I noticed that but why didn't you?" I was about to say that in many cases it is he who doesn't pay any attention to what I say but I couldn't. And we went in where Mrs. Hudson already had made us some tea. We were hungry and we ate with good appetite. After that, I had one more sick call and I returned to home late at night. Hearing Holmes playing still his violin I went to bed and fell asleep. In that night I didn't slept as usual but I had these strange dreams about churchyards and green dresses. There were women in green dresses and men clothed all in green and a heart locked in a golden cage. And what was stranger was that the girl I had seen standing outside our apartment was also in my dream. She was singing something that sounded like:

"_Alas, my love, you do me wrong,_

_To cast me off discourteously,_

_For I have loved you well and long,_

_Delighting in your company."_

It was very distressing dream, the melody of the song was eerily familiar and I woke in the middle of the night and sat in my bed for a while before I could go back to sleep.

"You look little pale, my friend," Holmes stated to me in the morning when we were eating breakfast.

"I had a nightmare so I couldn't sleep very well," I told to Holmes. I was little tired but I couldn't stay at home because I had many things to do.

"I heard it. You talked in your sleep, something about green dresses and heart locked in a golden cage. I almost came to wake you up but then you stopped so I left it with that," he mentioned to me shortly. I was embarrassed about that.

"Oh, I apologise about that, it's not like me to talk in my dreams," I apologised from Holmes. He gave me a laugh.

"No, it really isn't like you but you have been doing such long hours and that doesn't suite to you as it does to me so I guess that it's only your lack of sleep what makes you see such dreams," Holmes said to me.

"Yes, I guess so," I accepted his explanation. I was doing a lot of work so it must have been that. Maybe there wasn't any strange girl after all. Maybe I just imagined her. But then I remembered the ice-blue eyes of her and thought that no, she is real. When I remembered those eyes, chills ran up to my spine and I shivered. Holmes looked at me questioningly but didn't say anything. It was better so because I wasn't able to tell him anything about the girl in the churchyard. He wouldn't believe me.

"Well Holmes, what are you going to do today?" I asked from Holmes to change the subject.

"I am going to visit at Scotland Yard because Lestrade wants my help in something he think is a great mystery. I'm almost certain that I can solve it by the end of the day," Holmes told me with lame voice. He wasn't so excited about that case because it gave him no puzzled to solve. I had finished my breakfast.

"I have to go now Holmes but I think I'm able to join you at Scotland Yard before noon," I said. Today I had only two house calls. With that, I left from table leaving Holmes alone there.

"So we meet at Scotland Yard at twelve o'clock," Holmes yelled after me. And so we did. I arrived at Scotland Yard when clock was twelve. Holmes was talking with Lestrade in his room and Holmes was looking rather happy. Maybe the case was interesting after all.

"Good that you arrived Watson. Lestrade here gave us rather interesting case though I thought it would be just boring," Holmes told me eyes sparkling very familiar way.

"Well inspector, what do you have for us?" I asked from the man sitting in the chair behind his table.

"Well Doctor, like Mr. Holmes just said, this is not a boring case. For what I can tell, it is a brutal murder and possibly something else too. We have one missing person and one dead body and they seem to connect to each other. But we don't know yet, how".

"Who reported about the missing person?" Holmes wanted to know.

"The person's sister, lady Lilyann Chauncey".

"And when can we meet the lady?" it was Holmes again.

"She is not in London now. She did visit in London few weeks ago to report that her sister is missing but she had to leave because she was so shocked of it. Poor girl. If her sister is dead, she has nobody in the world".

"Ok inspector, I'll start to investigate this double mystery anyway without lady Lilyann, just to see what do I find," Holmes was eager to start.

"So, old friend," he said to me after the visit was over," What do you make of this?"

"I think first we need to find out who this dead person is," I said to him.

"Quite right my friend, quite right. But I already have an idea of who she is".

"She? What do you mean by she? It can as well be he, Lestrade didn't tell if the body was male or female".

"No, my dear Watson, he didn't. But we have one dead person and one missing person. Therefore, I did a little calculating and only a fool couldn't do the math. This dead person must be lady Chauncey's sister".

"So all we need now is lady Lilyann," Holmes nodded and hailed a carriage. On the way back home, he didn't spoke a word but I could tell that his brains worked. And in the morning, he wasn't on breakfast so I ate alone and went to work. He came back late in the evening when I was just started to eat. He had found something but I wasn't in a mood to listen him, I had terrible headache. At first, he didn't notice anything.

"Watson, I have managed to find something to help…Watson, that won't do, that won't do at all. You have been awfully quiet in these days. Are you coming down with something?" he asked me, worry now in his eyes.

"I'm sure it's only a little cold. Nothing to worry Holmes," I assured, "Please, carry on. Tell me what have you found". But it came clear that Holmes hadn't actually found anything. And that bothered him enormously.

"It is as someone would have taken the life of this person and disappeared then," Holmes said pacing up and down in our sitting room.

"Well Holmes, you if anyone will find that poor human's killer. Now if you will excuse me, I would like to retire now to bed," I said yawning.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry, my dear Watson. Of course. Good night," and I wished him good night too and went to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Real lady

Chapter III: Real lady

Watson's POV

Finally, on the first week of October, we met our mysterious client, lady Chauncey. It was the day when first snow touched the streets of London.

It had been raining for several days but all of a sudden, temperature dropped from mildly cool to freezing cold and then it started to snow.

I was sitting in a chair near fireplace and read the newspaper. Holmes was playing his violin again. The melody was rather sad and somehow depressing in my opinion and I couldn't help but listening it. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and after that, Mrs. Hudson came in.

"There is someone at the downstairs who wants to speak with Mr. Holmes and you. Pretty she is, very ladylike," our landlady said to us. I looked at Holmes and saw a familiar sparkle in his eyes.

"Well Watson, I think we shall meet our mysterious client now. Sent her up Mrs. Hudson," he yelled and Mrs. Hudson went to fetch the lady. No sooner than she had left, in came a pretty girl. She had auburn hair that was set to a perfect bun, her eyes were oriental shaped without her being oriental, and they were blue. Her nose wasn't big nor was it small either but somehow like it was made into this face and she had pale pink lips.

"What a lovely outfit you have, milady," Holmes addressed the girl after taking her overcoat. She smiled at him, just a bit but warmly.

"Mr. Holmes, I presume," she stated to my friend and turned then to me, continuing, "And Doctor Watson. I'm very glad to meet you finally. As you probably have already deduced, I am lady Chauncey. Lady Lilyann Chauncey. And I am here in a matter of a disappearance of my dear sister, lady Camellia Chauncey," she spoke to my friend. Her voice sounded very soft and warm. Though the sentence she said might have sounded a bit snobbish and hard said by someone else, she made these words sound apologetic. She was indeed apologising her background.

Holmes had given me her overcoat so I was backwards on her but when I turned my face back to these two, I really noticed her eyes. They were familiar to me. At first I didn't recognised what it was but after while I saw their unusual icy-blue colour and that they were very piercing. The girl in the churchyard, ten years ago.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy,_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady green sleeves."_

_The wind brought very clear girlish voice to my ears and then I saw that same little girl in the churchyard. This time she was sitting in a tree._

"_Good morning doctor Watson!" she shouted at me._

"_Good morning to you too, little Miss. You have a lovely voice," I stopped under the tree where she sat. _

"_Thank you doctor Watson. My music teacher doesn't think that way though," she told. _

"_No, no, your voice is really pretty and that song is too," I said._

"_Greensleeves, yes. King Henry VIII of England has possibly made it in 1500's. I like it too," she confessed. She was wearing orange dress, which was unusual colour, and it made me notice her eyes. _

I gasped as the colour from my face drained away. That took the attention of lady Lilyann and Holmes.

"Oh my heavens, are you alright Doctor?" our charming guest asked anxiously and hurried to help me to sit. My sudden attack must have alarmed Holmes too because I saw him sitting on the arm of my chair and watching me carefully. I hurried to say that I was perfectly fine.

"Are you sure Watson? Because it looks to me like you could faint at the very minute now. After all, you have been little tired and not so focused as usually."

"I'm sure Holmes. It's just, well, this is little insane and you might think it ridiculous but her eyes made me scared. I'm so sorry lady Lilyann," I said with a voice that was hardly audible. I saw that Holmes, as surprising as it was, had not paid attention to her eyes as when he too looked at them his jaw dropped a bit and he too gasped. But he managed to gather his emotions quickly.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry about this," my friend apologised from lady Lilyann.

"No need for that. For some reason, men always react like that to my eyes," she said but continued," But maybe we should continue this tomorrow. I'm neither doctor nor nurse but I can tell when someone is really tired and your friend here seems to be like that". And she couldn't be more right.

"Of course. May I escort you to the door?" Holmes asked politely. For some reason, she blushed a bit.

"Well Mr. Holmes, that won't be necessary because I will be living in downstairs in one empty room for a while. It is because someone has something against me and has threatened my life already," she explained. That drew Holmes' face serious.

"Then we shall meet tomorrow. May I invite you to the breakfast in morning? Then, I'm afraid we have to pay a visit to a morgue and see if you can identify one particular body".

"I will be happy to do that first thing but the second, well, I'm not so fond of morgues but if it would help to find my sister, then I guess I will have to accept the other matter too," she said with rare sense of humour flickering in her voice. Then she bid us good night and closed the door behind her.

"My dear Watson, what was that all about? You almost gave me a heart attack by doing what you did," Holmes wanted to know when our lovely guest had left.

"As I said, it was her eyes. You see, I have been seeing this one funny thing for few months now. Actually, I have seen a woman. She has been showing up to me. When I turn around to do something she's there but when I turn back around to look at her she has disappeared. And the funny thing is that she has the same coloured eyes as our guest has," I tried to tell to my friend but I could see that Holmes didn't believe my stories. After what had happened just few minutes ago, I could not blame him for not believing me.

"Good night Holmes," I simply said to him and he did the same though he didn't go to sleep immediately but stayed up and played his violin again. I knew that he was thinking about this case. I just hoped that he didn't disturb our guests rest. As tired as I was, I could tell that she was also in need of a good sleep. But I did not had the chance to think it further since I fell asleep when my head hit the pillow.


	4. Chapter 4: Still missing

Chapter IV: Still missing

Watson's POV

The next morning began like any other with one addition. Our lovely guest. She came up to our sitting room in good time before Mrs. Hudson brought our breakfast.

"Good morning, milady," Holmes greeted her and I did the same.

"Good morning Mr. Holmes, good morning Doctor. You play very well Mr. Holmes," she said without any marks of tiredness in her voice. Holmes blushed, which was very unusual to my friend.

"Oh I'm so sorry. I actually didn't remember that you were staying here when I started to play. Please forgive me. I hope you slept enough despite all that".

"Yes, I actually slept better than in months when listening you. And please, can we leave all this nonsense. You can call me Lilyann. No need for milady's and that kind of things. True, I was born noble but I also have grown tired to that when everyone I meet, addresses me as lady".

"Very well. As you wish," Holmes said to her.

"You can call me either John or Watson," I told her. She smiled and nodded a little. Mrs. Hudson brought our breakfast and we started to discuss about the day. I told to Holmes that I wasn't able to come with them at the morgue and Scotland Yard because I had promised to substitute my colleague when he was visiting his relatives.

"That is quite alright Watson. We just pay a quick visit at there and maybe walk back home. It is rather horrific place and I don't want to shock mil..Lilyann more than necessary," Holmes said. After eating, we all made our way out and about our business'. I saw Holmes halting a hansom and help Lilyann in before getting in himself. She looked so delicate that I really hoped she wouldn't be too shocked. I was very wrong.

Sherlock's POV

When we arrived at Scotland Yard, we immediately went to the morgue. I almost regretted that I had brought Lilyann to that place but I had no other chance since we desperately had to know, was the body indeed her sisters body. So, we went to a room were they kept the bodies until someone came to fetch them.

"We are here to see the body," I said to the pathologist. He glanced at Lilyann but said nothing and brought the body. Taking the sheet that covered the body of, he stepped aside, letting her to see the body.

"No, this is not my sister," her voice was just a whisper and she was awfully calm.

"What makes you believe that?"

"This poor woman don't have any jewellery on her. My sister wears always this unique necklace, which I gave to her. Or did she had a necklace with her when she was brought here?" she asked, still calm. The pathologist shook his head, denying. If I only were to know what was coming, I wouldn't have brought her here in first place. But I didn't know. I nodded to the pathologist who covered the body again and we left.

"I want to walk back," she stated outside. I agreed to that. But before I could say anything, she hurried onwards and I almost had to run to catch her. I could tell that she wasn't in a mood for talking so I only followed her remaining silent. She was struggling against tears.

"Did you know that we were actually twins?" she asked. It came as a surprise to me. She continued," Yes, we are twins and you know the bondage of twins. It is very strong. She loves me so much and cares for me. I remember when we were children, she promised me that she would not leave me, ever," she spoke and after that, silence fell again. Lilyann was with me but she walked as if she would have been alone. And in a way, she was all alone. That all lasted to our apartment. She went in and headed to her room. I could only follow her with my eyes and for my surprise, I felt very sorry for her. And something else that I couldn't identify. I climbed to upstairs with a thought that I wouldn't see her again today.

Watson's POV

I came back when it was already dark and climbed to our sitting room. Holmes was there but strange enough he wasn't smoking or playing his violin but he was just standing there, by the window, looking out.

"So how did it go? Was the body who you thought it would be?" I needed to know but before I continued, I saw the look on his face. He was sad and worried when he shook his head and looked towards the couch near the fireplace. I saw Lilyann sleeping there.

"No, the body wasn't who I thought it would be. But I managed to shock Lilyann badly. When we came back, she went straight to her room and I thought that I wouldn't see her again today but about an hour ago, I found her here. She was sleeping in the chair but I carried her to the couch," Sherlock's voice was no more than a whisper.

"So how did it go?" I asked again.

"It went fine until she saw the body. She asked about one particular jewel that her sister used to wear always. And this woman didn't have any jewels on or with her. I gave her false hope that her sister would have been found, deluded her. She was disappointed but the most alarming thing was that she didn't even cry," Holmes told me. I agreed that it was alarming.

"We have to let her sleep. She is in a state of shock and everyone reacts to shock in different ways," I stated to Holmes. He sighed and looked at the couch, "I know Holmes, she looks so delicate. Maybe she'll cry tomorrow when she realises what really has happened," I continued. Poor Holmes, he didn't have any idea of what to do.

"Go to sleep old chap, there is absolutely nothing we can do right now," I said to him and finally he left and I retired to my room too. I couldn't have slept more than an hour when I heard something. And at the very instant, I realised that it was Lilyann and she was screaming. I jumped from my bed and headed to the sitting room. On the way, I met Holmes who too had heard the scream. We opened the door and saw Lilyann sitting in the couch and gasping. She was covered with sweat.

"Calm down Lilyann, you must have seen a nightmare," I tried to calm Lilyann and approached the couch. As I sat at the edge of it, she looked at me.

"Yes and it was very bad. I must see my sister. I must tell it to her, we always tell our dreams and nightmares to each other. It makes them feel less bad. Where is she?" Lilyann asked from me. At this point, I glanced at Holmes and he seemed to be somehow scared of this question. He had moved near the window and I saw him shake his head. I stood up and fetched something relaxing to Lilyann. I was pouring the liquid to a glass when I heard Lilyann gasp again.

"Oh no, no, Camellia. Nooooo, it was not a nightmare. You haven't found my twin sister. Oh Camellia, where are you?" she shrieked and began to cry hysterically. She got up for some reason and then I heard Holmes yell my name.

"Watson!" he yelled and I only had time to turn around and then I had to run. I was just in time to catch Lilyann when she went unconscious, felling to my arms. Holmes came to help me, settle Lilyann back to the couch.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I think she just remembered and realised what has happened, that her sister is still missing," I answered, adding that we better let her sleep. Holmes carried her to her room and amazing enough, tucked her gently under blankets. Quietly he closed the door and we went back to sleep. Though I was sure that he didn't slept much while trying to solve the puzzle, now more eagerly than before.

I woke up at morning and after getting my clothes on, I went to breakfast. Mrs. Hudson had already brought it up and Holmes was at the sitting room too. I sat at the table and ate a while but noticed then that Lilyann wasn't there.

"Has lady Chauncey already eaten?" I asked from our landlady.

"No she hasn't," Mrs. Hudson replied. That alarmed me because usually she was up and going at this time of morning. I already recognised her manners though she had lived in the house only for short time.

"It's not like her to skip the breakfast," my friend said darkly, he too had made same deduction, "After what happened last night, don't you think we better go check her?" he suggested. I had thought the same and we made our way to downstairs where we knocked Lilyann's door. We got no answer.

"Oh Mrs. Hudson, would you be so kind and open this door?" Holmes asked politely from the landlady who obviously had something against the fact that we wanted to get in to a lady's room at this time of the morning.

"Of all the things in the world, I wouldn't have thought that you Doctor, would do this kind of thing," she snorted but opened the door anyway.

"Thank you Mrs. Hudson," I tried but she went to her businesses. We found Lilyann from her bed, sweating and shivering as if she was hot and cold at the same time.

"Oh dear," I whispered and hurried to help her. She was burning from high fever. I didn't have to say anything to Mrs. Hudson, who had came in too to check the situation. Quickly she went to fetch my medical bag and brought it back down. To my surprise, Holmes didn't know what to do and I had to force him out of my way when I started to take care of our guest who had become my patient. Mrs. Hudson brought cold water and cloths and placed one to Lilyann's forehead. I looked at the direction of the open door but Holmes wasn't there anymore.

"Go on, I have treated many fever patients without killing them so I think I am able to take care of her for a while," the dear old woman said, gesturing me to go after Holmes. I found him leaning his hand against fireplace and staring at the fire. He didn't say anything but I knew he had heard my arrival.

"Holmes?" I asked and was about to continue when he began to speak.

"It was too much for her. I knew it was but I took her there anyway. This is all my fault Watson".

"But Holmes, what on earth are you talking about? If you mean that you took her to the morgue and she got ill because of that then you are wrong. This is not your fault. You had to take her there to identify the body," I explained to Holmes but he didn't listen. He stared the fire but when he turned to me, I was very surprised because of the look in his eyes. They were full of fierce determination but I noticed that he had cried. He still had tears in his eyes.

"You really do care about her," the notion surprised me.

"How can I not care about her? That is what really annoys and bothers me but she needs my help and I am going to help her even if it was the last thing I would ever do. I am going to find her sister," he said and I knew that he would really find the murderer.

"And I will help you as much as I can old chap. I just go and give some orders to Mrs. Hudson," I got excited.

"No my dear Watson. We can't do anything today so it is best that you go and take care of Lilyann. She needs her strength from now on," my friend said.

Therefore, I went back downstairs and told to Mrs. Hudson about our discussion. She wasn't surprised at all.

"She needs Mr. Holmes and his help badly. I saw her feelings and also the feelings of Mr. Holmes though he tried to hide them," she smiled.

"No, that can't be true. We are talking about Holmes Mrs. Hudson. There can't be any deeper feelings between them," I didn't believe Mrs. Hudson.

"Mark my words doctor Watson, there is much deeper feelings than just care," our landlady said knowingly.


	5. Chapter 5: Time stood still

Chapter V: Time stood still

Watson's POV

"Nothing," I shook my head to Holmes, answering to his silent question about Lilyann's condition. Many times, during those two days, I had seen him hovering behind the door, which now was ajar all the time. A shadow of worry moved across his face when he left from the door. I went after him and found him from our sitting room.

"How is it possible that there is no change in her condition, Watson?" Holmes demanded to know.

"Her fever has not reached its peak, which is bad thing. When the fever reaches its peak and after that, the recovery can begin. But I really don't know how long she can fight against the fever," I explained, "Her heart is broken and that makes her weaker".

"Watson, I must find her sister, dead or alive".

"That would definitely help her to recover. The certainty that her sister has been found, that she's not missing anymore," I said.

"Yes Watson but I just don't know where to begin," very seldom, I had seen my dear friend so lost as Holmes was now. He stood in front of the fireplace, smoking quietly. Then, all of a sudden, he sprung into an action. He twirled around and exited the room. He took his coat, hat and cane and walked straight to Lilyann's room. Silently, so that he would not wake Lilyann, he approached her bed.

"I will find your sister, my dear, I promise," Holmes whispered to Lilyann and gingerly caressed her hair. I couldn't believe what I had just seen and heard. Did Holmes really have deeper feelings towards our guest, as Mrs. Hudson had said? Quickly I retreated back to sitting room because Holmes was leaving and I had followed him secretly. He obviously didn't want to reveal his feelings towards Lilyann and I respected his choice. I heard him leave so I returned to my patient's room.

"Will he find my sister?" Lilyann's voice was hardly audible, no more than a whisper.

"Good heavens, you should be sleeping," I got startled.

"But he will find my sister, won't he? He promised me that he will," Lilyann, as ill as she was, was stubborn.

"Yes Lilyann, Holmes will find your sister," I assured. That was what Lilyann had needed because after I had said that, she sighed and fell back to sleep. Her fever still worried me.

I must have dozed off because I woke up at 1 a.m. to singing. It was Lilyann. She was singing the song I last time had heard ten years ago.

"_Your vows you've broken, like my heart,_

_Oh, why did you so enrapture me?_

_Now I remain in a world apart,_

_But my heart remains in captivity."_

"_Look doctor Watson what I've got," the little girl said, showing a simple necklace to me. It was a green butterfly in a silver chain. _

"_Oh, that is a very pretty jewel. To who are you going to give it?" I asked._

"_To my sister. That is her singing there," she replied. _

"_Your vows you've broken, like my heart,_

_Oh, why did you so enrapture me?_

_Now I remain in a world apart,_

_But my heart remains in captivity."_

I didn't have time to wonder why Lilyann was singing that song because at that moment I felt rather than saw that something was changing. I touched Lilyann's forehead and it was red-hot. The fever was reaching its peak. It was 1.15 a.m. and just then, I heard the door. Holmes returned. I went to the door.

"Lilyann's fever is rising. It's going to reach its peak soon," I told to my friend quietly, "You better pray that she is strong enough to survive because these two, three days has been very rough on her." Holmes nodded and I went back to Lilyann's room, with a feeling that my friend stayed behind the door, waiting for my word whatever the result of this battle would be.

And that battle, between life and death, was hard and I almost thought that I would lose it when at 3.30 a.m. the fever was in highest point and Lilyann was very agitated. Her breathing was heavy, she was sweating and tossing from side to side in her bed. At dawn, when the first rays of the sun peeked behind the curtains, touching Lilyann's face, I sensed strange peace and serenity in the room. I felt something brush my cheek, ever so lightly, like a wing of an angel. And I heard a quiet giggle. Time stood still. Then I heard Lilyann sigh and immediately went beside her bed. I didn't have to touch her forehead to know that the battle was over and Lilyann had won it. Her fever was decreasing.

"It's over Holmes," I informed to my friend, whom I found sitting on the floor, behind Lilyann's door. He wasn't sleeping and now he stood up from where he sat.

"Over. You mean.., is she?" Holmes was devastated.

"No, my dear friend. Lilyann is not dead, she survived," I reassured him.

"Thank god," he muttered when he sank back to sit, so relieved he was.

"You can go to her room now," I said, touching his shoulder. He nodded to me and from the door ajar, I saw him carefully sit on the edge of Lilyann's bed. He smiled and I was sure I saw tears running down to his cheeks when Lilyann opened her eyes.

"Don't cry," I heard her whisper.

"I haven't found your sister yet, my dear," Holmes confessed. Lilyann lifted her hand and wiped his tears away.

"It's alright Sherlock. You'll find her. She is safe," Lilyann comforted my friend. As touching as it was, it was also private moment so I closed the door and went to wake Mrs Hudson up so that she could make us early breakfast.


	6. Chapter 6: Glimpses from the moments

Chapter VI: Glimpses from the moments

Watson's POV

"Would you like to join me for a walk?" I asked from Lilyann one evening. It was the end of November.

"Sure doctor Watson," she said, "Gladly," but her voice did not sound too glad, it was hollow. I frowned.

"She is not her happy self anymore, Watson," Holmes stated from his chair, after Lilyann had gone to fetch her hat, coat and gloves, "I'm worried about her."

"She hasn't recovered as fast as I have hoped," I said.

"No, no, Watson, that is not the whole reason. She is changed. You have heard her voice; it is completely hollow, empty. As though she would be broken inside," Holmes said.

"She is gloomier, yes," I admitted but then Lilyann came back and I escorted her down and out. She was dressed entirely to green. Suddenly I noticed that she had used only green, the time she had been living in Baker Street. Then I did not pay any more attention to that. We walked in silence, until I broke it.

"You can tell me if something is bothering you," I said to Lilyann.

"Nothing is bothering me," she said quickly. But it was a lie.

"I am a doctor and I can see that something is wrong. You have not slept and you are gloomier, absent-minded. You are not yourself," I continued.

"But nothing is wrong doctor Watson. Honestly. I just don't feel tired so that is why I don't sleep," she insisted.

"Holmes is worried about you," I tried.

"Is he? I'm sorry," she said. It sounded as though she wasn't even interested of her wellbeing. She fell back to silence.

On our way back to home, we walked by a cemetery. Cold shivers went through my body. Icy wind blew through the naked bushes and for a moment, I thought I heard rustling sound. I shook my head.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy,_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady green sleeves."_

"Did you say something Lilyann?" I asked because I had heard something. But Lilyann denied that she would have said anything.

Sherlock's POV

"Doctor Watson said it would do good for you," I said to our beautiful companion the next day. I had my doubts but I trusted to Watson.

"If he says so, then it must be true," Lilyann said, fetched her hat, coat and gloves. She walked as if she was in some kind of trance.

"So, do you have any idea of who this Lucius Lloyd is?" I was eager to know about the man who had threatened Lilyann's life through letters. Those letters were the reason why Lilyann stayed in Baker Street.

"What? Who?"

"Lucius Lloyd. My dear, please, try to think," I repeated the name.

"Maybe, mmh oh," Lilyann suddenly sighed, closed her eyes and held her head.

"Lilyann, dear, are you OK?" I offered my arm to her and she leaned against it. I was terrified when I saw that she had turned deathly pale. She did not reply.

"_I have been ready at your hand,_

_To grant whatever you would crave,_

_I have both wagered life and land,_

_Your love and good-will for to have."_

"No, I'm alright Sherlock. Just bit dizzy," she said," Can we rest here for a while, until the world stops spinning?"

"We can always turn back," I suggested. She shook her head. After a while, she had rested enough to continue but I kept my eye on her.

"Did you hear someone sing there?" Lilyann asked suddenly.

"Maybe we should go back after all," I began to doubt if she really was well enough to continue, halted a hansom and took her back to Baker Street. The whole trip back she quietly sang something.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy,_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady green sleeves."_

We had climbed out of the hansom, when Lilyann unexpectedly said," The Winter Solstice is soon."

Watson's POV

" Watson, have you heard something when walking by that cemetery?" Holmes asked me that evening. He and Lilyann had returned from their walk earlier than I had expected but neither of them had explained why.

"What for example?"

"Singing as if a little girl was there,"

"You heard it too," I was surprised.

"Strange," Holmes just stated but did not admit anything.


	7. Chapter 7: Diary

Chapter VII: Diary

Watson's POV

Ever since the day Mrs. Hudson pointed it to me, I had seen and sensed the feeling, sparkling and tension between Lilyann and Holmes. Holmes laughed more often nowadays. And it was fascinating to see Lilyann blush whenever Holmes cast a boyish, almost shy glance to her. The air between them was on fire but it was as if they enjoyed keeping their feelings as a secret, their own secret. And we, Mrs. Hudson and I, let them.

But then, only two weeks before Winter Solstice, came a sudden turn. Like a drop of temperature. At first, I did not notice it because of my own hurries but then I realised that something was wrong.

When I was present, Lilyann was normal but if Holmes came in, she treated him like an air or simply left the room. She gave him silent treatment and a cold-shoulder when someone was present too with her and Holmes.

Moreover, I noticed that Holmes suffered. However, when they thought nobody could see or hear, they fought. And I just happened to overhear one of those fight. Or the end of it.

"You had no right. No right at all," Lilyann said to Holmes with silent, icy tone.

"I apologise. You are absolutely right. And I shouldn't have done it," I heard Holmes say. Lilyann gave him a final, very cold look and stormed away.

I saw my friend collapse to a nearest armchair and hide his face behind his hands. I approached Holmes and put my hand on his shoulder as to give him some comfort.

"What did you do Holmes?" I asked silently. Holmes said nothing but to my horror, handed me a book that I found to be Lilyann's diary.

"You read her diary," I stated and tried not to believe it even when I saw the evidence in my hands. Holmes confirmed it by only one nod.

"But why Holmes?" I wanted to know. Holmes just gestured towards the book.

"Read it," he said plainly.

"Holmes, really, I cannot. It's her private,." I said with utmost disbelief.

"Just read it Watson," I met Holmes' pleading eyes. They were full of worry.

As I opened the book, too familiar words stared right back at me from the first page.

"_If you intend thus to disdain,_

_It does the more enrapture me,_

_And even so, I still remain,_

_A lover in captivity._

_Greensleeves was all my joy,_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady greensleeves."_

I turned the pages, read it from here and there.

"_The city is gray, cold, gloomy and I can hear the wind howling behind my window but I don't feel unwelcome," _Lilyann had written on September,_" because I have met someone very precious to me. And I think I love him."_

"_Someone has threatened my life. I do not know who he is. But I think he has something to do with you. And maybe with me too."_

"_The city does not welcome me anymore. But still, I enjoy the walks with Sherlock. And our small discussions. Yes, I love him. I like doctor Watson too, sweet silly doctor, but Sherlock I love."_

"_It's November but I always will remember those sunny summer days we spent at the countryside. I remember the nickname you gave me. I remember the song you sang. _

_Greensleeves was all my joy,_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady green sleeves._

_I have heard you singing it to me."_

"_Hide me Doctor Watson, please hide me," that little girl ran behind me. _

"_OK little Miss but from who?" I asked. She had green dress and her braided pigtails were tied with green ribbons._

"_From Lucy," the girl replied. She had mockery in her voice, especially when she mentioned Lucy._

"_Is she your sister too?" I inquired because I had never seen or heard this third girl. _

_The girl giggled as if I had said something stupid and told," No silly Watson. Lucy is boy. He lives next to our townhouse. Our mom says that my sister has been promised to him and that they will get married one day. But we do not like him. We call him Lucy because he is such a wuss."_

"_Greensleeves!" another girl voice called. _

"_Coming Butterflies!" this girl announced._

"_Nice nicknames. But why do you call her like that? And what is Lucy's real name?" I had time to ask before the girl ran away._

_She flashed a cute smile to me, responding," Because of the necklace I gave her. And Lucy's real name is Lucius." And then, she was gone. But the name was left echoing from wall to wall._

"Lilyann knows something about this Lucius Lloyd. But I made this terrible mistake and now she will never tell anything to me," Holmes was saying when I woke back to this day.

"She needs you Holmes. She cannot find her sister all by herself. She will forgive you but you just have to wait," I said to Holmes. He sighed and retired to his room.

"I have already forgiven to Sherlock," silent voice said from the door ajar. Then I heard footsteps and rustling and Lilyann was gone just as that little girl in my very vivid dream or perhaps it was a memory.


	8. Chapter 8:Night before Winter Solstice

Chapter VIII: Night before the Winter Solstice

Sherlock's POV

"Can I come in Sherlock?" I heard Lilyann asking behind my door. Last time we had talked, was two weeks ago. But this surprise was pleasant.

"Of course dear, do come in," I replied. I had not seen her either, in those weeks so her appearance caused me a shock.

"Sherlock, I want you to know that I have already forgiven you, two weeks ago," she started.

"Why are you telling this now? Why didn't you do it two weeks ago?" I inquired, leading her to sit. She was so horribly thin.

"I don't know Sherlock. I needed time to think. Soon I will not be here anymore and what ever happens to me is not your fault," Lilyann explained.

"You are safe here Lilyann. What possibly could happen to you?" her words made me scared. But she did not offer any further explanations. Just shook her head and left.

That night, I saw weird dream.

"_My mother was always so sad when she said the name," a little girl in a brown dress said to me. She could not be more than ten years old. _

"_What name? And why was she sad when she said the name?" I asked from that girl but noticed that she had grown older. She was fifteen now. _

"_His name. She was sad because of the loan. Because of what it made her to do," that girl told. Now I noticed her silver necklace with a green butterfly. _

"_What it made her to do then?" I was curious. Now I felt the time change before noticing it. It felt like as if I walked through heavy, thick, wet curtains. The girl had grown up. I could not see her face because she had black veil over them. She was wearing all black clothes as if she was mourning. _

"_Don't let her go out tonight. I won't be there waiting for her but someone will be. It is not her time to leave, yet," that young woman whispered excited. In a quick flash of light, I saw an image of a man dressed entirely green._

"_My men were clothed all in green,_

_And they did ever wait on thee;_

_All this was gallant to be seen,_

_And yet thou wouldst not love me."_

Then, I felt as if I was under water, drowning but someone or something pulled me to the surface. I woke up and saw that same woman I had seen in my dream. Only this time, her veil was up. She was somehow translucent and when I looked at her face, slight panic filled me.

"It is not pleasurable for mortal to shift through time like that and as many time as you did," she said with a shy smile on her lips. Then she went serious.

"Don't let her go out tonight Sherlock. I'm counting on you," then I heard time itself sigh and she was gone.

I got up because I could not sleep anymore. It was still dark. My room was cold. My visitor had something to do with it, I was sure of that. Her face was haunting me. They were so eerily familiar but at this hour and in my state of mind, I could not remember who she resembled. For a while I toyed with an idea that I would get up and go to our sitting-room to search some information about the Winter Solstice but then I abandoned the idea because suddenly, I was really tired.

"_Remember," _I heard a whisper before I fell asleep, _"Remember." _And as I drifted to dream, a quick flash of that man in green, appeared again for a short period.

I woke up when the first rays of the morning touched my eyelids. I didn't hear any movement or noises from the house. None whatsoever. Not even Mrs. Hudson, doing breakfast. The house was quiet. I walked through the silence, to our sitting room, which was as cold as my bedroom at night and found a paper from my table. It had writing on it.

_Remember, _it said plainly.

"I remember," I whispered to the empty, silent room. The room got warmer and I could hear the noises from downstairs.


	9. Chapter 9: Winter Solstice

Chapter IX: The Winter Solstice

Watson's POV

Holmes was in very weird mood at that morning. He was deep in his thoughts, which was not unusual to him, when I came to our sitting room.

"Good morning Holmes," I was in cheerful mood," Oh, have you noticed that it has snowed during the night?"

Holmes did not answer. Letting the curtain fall back to how it had been, I looked at Holmes' direction. He was sitting on his favourite armchair, near the fireplace. His pipe was unlit.

"Holmes?" I asked with growing anxiety because he did not even seem to hear or notice me. I had seen him hunt his prey with great passion but never ever, I had seen him react like he did now. He just stared one spot and tapped the arm of the chair with his fingers. But what scared me the most was the feverish look in his eyes.

"Holmes?" I asked once again, approaching him. I reached the chair and slowly put my hand to his shoulder.

"Watson, don't sneak like that, you scared me! What do you know about Winter Solstice?"

"Nothing," his reaction, the mere intensity, caught me off guard.

"My dear Watson, I am sure you can find something useful from the Encyclopaedia."

"Yes, of course Holmes," I went to the bookshelf and took the right book.

"Why is it important?" I asked, reading," No, it is not important day. Not even religiously."

"I have been warned not to let Lilyann go out tonight or something bad will happen to her."

"Warned by whom?" and Holmes answered with a quick flash of a smile.

"By whom? Watson, I think I'm becoming crazy but I had a nocturnal visitor from afterlife," he explained, "Lilyann, could you stop that!" her singing was obviously bothering my friend.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy_

_Greensleeves was my delight_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold_

_And who but my lady greensleeves."_

"What are you talking about Holmes? A visitor from afterlife?"

"I can swear, my dear Watson, that a spirit of Lilyann's twin sister visited me and told me not to let Lilyann go out tonight."

"So, let's suppose that this all was not a hallucination, how are you going to make her stay inside?"

Holmes was really determined when he answered," By locking her in to her room if I have to."

I was suspicious," And did the visitor said what will happen to Lilyann if she goes out?" Holmes had stopped the tapping and glanced at me.

"Not what Watson but who. Lucius Lloyd will happen to her," the singing had stopped but too late Holmes noticed his mistake. Lilyann was at the door and she had listened us the whole time.

"You have no right to even plan to lock me in to my room, Sherlock," she uttered her voice ice cold but bitter.

"Lilyann," Holmes tried to plead but in vain. All he could do was watch powerless when Lilyann walked out of the room and out of the door. Then, she was gone. I heard Holmes swallow.

"Watson, I did exactly what I promised not to let happen. Do you think she will come back before night?" I have never seen Holmes so stagnant as he was now.

"By George Holmes, whoever this Lucius Lloyd character is, you were talking about, if he plans to do something to Lilyann, he will search her even if it wasn't night yet. Holmes, we have to go after her," I understood the severity of the situation. And slowly, Holmes understood it too. He stood up, got dressed and was already downstairs before I got my winter coat on.

When I stepped outside, I thought I heard that familiar song again. Taunting.

"_Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,but still thou hadst it music still to play and sing;And yet thou wouldst not love me._

"_Do you remember Mr. Watson, how I sang this song to my sister?" a little girl asked. _

"Yes, I remember. You told that to me," I answered.

"_If Mr. Holmes can't find her in time, I will sing it to her again, soon," she announced. _

"We will find her in time."

"_Do you think she could sing it to me when you find me?" now the girl was little curious. _

"Watson," Holmes' voice woke me," I think I know which way she went," and he started to walk fast towards the cemetery.

"_Greensleeves was all my joyGreensleeves was my delight,Greensleeves was my heart of gold,And who but my lady greensleeves." _

This time, I was sure I heard it. As if the little girl whom I only knew by her nickname would tease me and my friend.


	10. Chapter 10: Play, play my music box

Chapter X: Play, play my music box

Lilyann's POV

I can hear it in the wind clearly, twirling twirling. Like a music box playing a distant tone from my childhood. How many times did I hear my dear sister, Camellia, Greensleeves, sing it to me. That is why I called her Greensleeves. Because she sang it to me. And she called me Butterflies. She gave me a butterfly pendant, as we were child. But I have given it back to her. Right before she got lost. And now, as I rush onwards in the wind, I can hear the music box play the tune. No, wait. It is a little girl singing it. I stop to listen it.

"Camellia!" I hear myself screaming. I am almost at the place I need to be. It is snowing and the wind keeps blowing. Harder and harder. Tugging the hem of my skirt. Suddenly, I can see someone standing below the branch where my sister used to sit, near the cemetery.

"Camellia!" I scream again, thinking the person could really be my twin sister. But it is not. It is a man and he is dressed in green. And he is singing.

"_Well, I will pray to God on high,_

_that thou my constancy mayst see,_

_And that yet once before I die,_

_Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me."_

Sherlock's POV

"Watson," I said to my friend as I began to walk more swiftly," She is heading to the cemetery and he will be waiting for her there."

"Who will be waiting for her? What on earth are you talking about Holmes?" Watson wanted to know.

"Lucius Lloyd. Oh Watson, I have been stupid, so stupid. I should have known this in the first place," I mocked myself.

"Holmes, who is Lucius Lloyd?"

"A scoundrel who's family took advantage of the bad financial situation of Lilyann's family. Lilyann's mother had to sell her daughter to the Lloyd family as a bride so that they could pay their loans," I quickened my walk.

"She sold Lilyann?" Watson sounded incredulous.

"No Watson. She sold Camellia. But Lucius wanted Lilyann. When he did not get what he wanted, he killed Camellia. And returned to claim what he obviously thinks is his possession."

"How do you know that Camellia is killed?" Watson wanted to know.

"Because of the letter from Lestrade. They have found a young woman with a butterfly pendant, killed," I explained.

"Where did they found her?"

"From the cem,. Watson, do you hear that?" It was audible. A young woman, singing.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold__,_

_And who but my lady green sleeves." _

It was Lilyann.

"Holmes, if I'm not mistaken, that must be Lucius Lloyd," Watson roared to me. But before I could act in any way, he grabbed Lilyann as a hostage.

"Mr. Holmes, I presume!" he yelled, voice full with mockery," As you might have noticed, I have found what I was looking for."

"I noticed that Mr. Lloyd but why are you holding a dagger against her?"

"Because she may run as she did before. Or you may try to rescue her from me. But she belongs to me!" and he laughed maniacally," So don't step any closer."

I saw Lilyann turn pale. Without taking my eyes off of the man, I asked from Watson," Did you bring your weapon?" to which he nodded.

"Good my dear friend. Now, when he turns his attention to me again, I want you to shoot him," I ordered and Watson nodded again.

Watson stayed behind me, when I spoke to Lucius Lloyd again. "It seems as if you have outwitted us, Mr. Lloyd," I yelled to him. And after that, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Mr. Lloyd took his attention away from Lilyann and turned to look at me.

I heard Watson yell," Holmes!" which meant that he was going to shoot. Then I heard a gun shot, a terrible scream and Lucius Lloyd fell to the ground. Then, all started to happen in normal motion and I ran to where Lilyann laid on the ground, next to Mr. Lloyd's dead body. Watson and I were there at the same time.

"Is she alive?" he asked. I searched and found her pulse.

"Yes she is, Watson, she is alive," I sighed.

"I'll get us a driver," Watson said and went to search one. As I waited for Watson's return, holding Lilyann in my arms, I heard someone whisper.

"_Thank you." _

And then, Watson arrived with the driver and we returned back home. The wind that blew earlier had subsided. It was only snowing.


	11. Chapter 11: Now, farewell, adieu

Chapter XI: Now, farewell, adieu

Watson's POV

It was no surprised that during the following week, when the ordeal was over, Lilyann was really tired. She did come to our sitting room but fell immediately asleep to our couch. She had no appetite, which was worrying me. But she did go for a walks. Alone.

"You should try to eat something," I told her gently one day at midday. She stirred awake and I placed the food tray on her lap. And she managed to eat it all.

"Are you feeling any better now?" I asked her.

"Yes Doctor, thank you," she smiled.

"Then maybe we could go for a walk," I suggested but she shook her head.

"It sounds lovely but I'm going alone."

Nine months has passed. It's October now. Lilyann moved away in January. And that almost crushed Holmes. I am returning to home from my practise and just opening our door, when a very fancy looking carriages stops right in front of our home. Someone opens the door and I feel like the circle is closed when Lilyann steps out.

"Lilyann!" I call her by name, voice full of joy.

"Doctor Watson," her voice is equally as happy as mine is.

"How many times do I have to remind you that you can call me John or Watson?" I tease her and she blushes. Only then, I notice that she has another person with her. A gentleman, little older than she.

"Doctor Watson, may I introduce you, Paul Wilson, the barrister of family Chauncey," she introduced the man to me.

"How do you do, Mr. Wilson," I shook his hand.

"So you are the famous Doctor Watson. I have heard a lot about you but even more about your also famous friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes," he said to me. Then he walked to the carriages to give some instructions to the driver.

"Is he something more to you than just a barrister?" I teased Lilyann when the man did not hear us.

"He is my fiancé," she whispered.

"So that's what you were up to in January."

"I don't know how he found me. I was visiting at Camellia's grave and there he was. He proposed me on February," she explained and then glanced to our window.

"Yes, he is at home," I understood and opened the door.

Sherlock's POV

I fell into the horrible dullness after Lilyann moved away. Nothing was interesting anymore. Summer went by without any big cases. Then, in one grey October day, she returned. Of course, Mrs. Hudson noticed her first and ran up to announce it to me.

"She came with those fancy carriages and she has a young man with her," our landlady fussed and then, Lilyann was behind our door. And I was left without words.

"Hello Sherlock," she greeted me.

"Who is the man with you?" I inquired.

"How did you,. Oh, she told you," Lilyann stated and looked at Mrs. Hudson, who had stayed on the threshold but quickly left when I too looked at her.

"He is my fiancé," Lilyann revealed once Mrs. Hudson had left. And my joy of seeing her again was gone also.

"I loved you Sherlock and I still do. But what I feel for him, Paul, is different kind of love. I came to say goodbye and to give you this," Lilyann said, placing something in my hand.

Then she turned and walked away, but on the threshold, she turned once more and said," I promise, I will never forget you and I will keep loving you forever," and then, she was gone.

Still keeping my hand closed I whispered," I love you too Lilyann," to the door.

I did not open my hand but walked to my writing desk and opened the first drawer. I dropped the object in my hand at the bottom of the drawer and closed it, never looking what the object was.

Watson's POV

"So, she is getting married," I tried to start a conversation that night.

"She gave me something," Holmes just stated.

"Well, what was it?" I was curious but when Holmes didn't say anything, I asked," You don't know what it is." And he shook his head.

"Where did you place it?" I asked. Holmes glanced towards his drawer thus gesturing that the object was there. But I understood that Holmes did not want to know what the object was, so I left the drawer unopened, suffocating my curiosity. I knew that Holmes would reveal it to me some day, if he would wish to do so.

Lilyann's POV

I have been married with Paul, for a year now. I am so happy with him. But sometimes, when he is at work and I am alone, I can still hear the familiar tone from my childhood, singing to me.

"_Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,_

_To God I pray to prosper thee,_

_For I am still thy lover true,_

_Come once again and love me."_

Once, when we were walking at the cemetery, we strayed at the part where Camellia was buried.

"Who is that my dear?" Paul asked, nodding towards a young lady on one of the graves. She waved to us.

"Oh, I think that's just my sister."

"But, she's dead, isn't she?" Paul said, looking at me.

"Yes, she is. But I think she came to say goodbye," I said, waving back to the now faded image.

"You mean, that was a ghost?" he sounded incredulous.

"Well, what do you think?" I asked, nodding towards the place where my sister stood. It was empty now.

As we walked away from the cemetery, I heard a little girl, singing.

"_Greensleeves was all my joy_

_Greensleeves was my delight,_

_Greensleeves was my heart of gold,_

_And who but my lady greensleeves."_

"Goodbye sister."

"_Farewell Butterflies," _


End file.
